On a warm summer evening in 2019, Brittany and Donald were introduced by mutual friends over what seemed to be a casual dinner like any other.

Unbeknownst to the two of them, this meeting was far from coincidental. Having discussed their plans at length, these mutual friends had decided that the two would be a perfect match for each other.

Though native to the state of Michigan, Donald was living in LA at the time, visiting home to be with friends and family. As dinner came to a close that night, he mused out loud what a shame it was that Brittany didn’t live in LA. The two had quickly hit it off, with Brittany enjoying Donald’s easy personality and lively conversation. The two exchanged socials and contact info before parting ways that evening, resigned that the 2,000 miles between them meant they might not meet again.

Fast forward to November. The two had lost touch since their meeting. Donald was tagged in a post on Facebook that Brittany commented on, which prompted Donald to send her a text. They continued talking after that, deciding to meet up over the holidays the next month. Sparks flew. Brittany made the trek to LA from Michigan to visit Donald in January, and they took turns visiting one another each few weeks during the next couple of months. March of 2020, during the last half of a visit to LA to meet Donald’s family, the rise in Covid cases was causing widespread alarm, and lockdowns began. Rather than be separated, Donald and Brittany decided to “flatten the curve” together in Michigan for the next two weeks. Two weeks turned into several months, and the two lived together in Brittany’s Michigan bungalow until June. At that time, Brittany downsized her possessions to 2 suitcases worth of things, and relocated to LA with Donald. After three years together, Donald proposed. 6 months into their engagement, they both decided to bypass the big wedding in favor of an intimate beach celebration. In just 30 days, they planned and coordinated the whole celebration exactly as they had hoped.

With Northern Michigan holding a special place in both their hearts, it was their first choice for location. They found their perfect venue at Grand Traverse Resort’s Beach Club. With a picturesque views of East Grand Traverse Bay, Brittany and Donald exchanged vows under the summer sky on June 18th, 2023.

When a lifelong relationship begins in an epic debate, you know there are great things to come.

One ordinary day, nearly at the end of her 6 month subscription to CatholicMatch.com and not planning to renew it, Lorelei scrolled through several profiles of prospects. None of these really interested her, until she came across one particularly detailed, elaborate profile. In his description, this man described his ideal woman. Someone who loves lazy Saturdays. Check. Someone who loves to watch Disney movies, and debate which one is best. Here, in parentheses, he had noted that the Lion King is obviously the best. Lorelei, being a Disney fan herself, already had a strong opinion as to what Disney movie was objectively the best - clearly, it was Tangled.. With mild amusement and low expectations, Lorelei penned a message to this presumptuous stranger. “You are wrong. The best Disney movie is Tangled”. Once the message had been sent, she finished reading his profile and logged off.

Several days passed before Lorelei logged on again. When she did, she was surprised to see a response to her message. The owner of the profile, Jack, had composed a complex response (complete with calculated rebuttals and bullet points), as to why she was decidedly wrong in her assertion. He seemed dedicated to educate her It was then and there that Lorelei was captivated. Many months later, Jack would tell her his side of the story. The typical messages he received would begin by introducing themselves, followed by some standard invitation to further conversation. Lorelei’s message stood in stark contrast to these others. While Jack thought that she would just laugh off his detailed response, Lorelei rose to the challenge and sent back her own rebuttals in equal detail and earnest. She had got his attention. The topic remains an unsettled debate to this day, but it certainly served a great purpose in bringing them together! A month after this online exchange, the pair of them decided to meet up in New Hampshire over Christmas. After 3 days together, they both knew they had found “the one”. It was another two years later, on St Patrick’s day, that Jack proposed.

On September 7th, Lorelei got dressed in the same lace gown that her mother and grandmother wore on their own wedding days. After two years of long distance relationship with an ocean between them, Lorelei and Jack happily welcomed the beginning of a new life together, and the joining of their two families. …”and the two shall become one flesh; so then they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate. Mark 10:8-10